Leveling machine



Jan. 10, 1939. A. E. JERRAM ET AL, 2,143,071

LEVELING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 193'? UNITED STATES Patented Jan. 10,1939 LEVELING MACHINE Application September 1, 1937, Serial No. 161,984In Great Britain September 23, 1936 ?A'TENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for applying pressure to the bottomsof shoes and more particularly to machines of the type in which a shoesupport and a pressing or leveling tool, such as a roll, are relativelymovable to cause the roll to operate progressively along the bottom of ashoe.

Well-known automatic machines of the abovementioned type include intheir organization a carrier for pressing the roll against the shoe andfor variably tipping the roll relatively to the shoe support to positionthe roll in proper relation to different portions of the bottom of theshoe. The roll is usually concave laterally of the shoe, and its tippingmovements render it especially effec- 5 tive on different laterallyconvex portions of the shoe bottom. In leveling the bottoms of shoes, ithas been found that it is sometimes difficult to produce as even andsmooth a shoe bottom as desired particularly if there are irregularitiesin the sole such as bunches caused by the unevenness of the shoematerials between the outsole and the insole since such irregularitiesare difficult to eliminate by the action of the roll. We have found thatby transferring the area of contact of the roll with the sole rapidlywidthwise of the shoe as the roll traverses the bottom of the shoe, thepressure of the roll will be applied to all portions of the sole tolevel it effectively regardless of any small irregularities that mayexist in the sole. Accordingly, the present invention provides means forthus operating a leveling roll, so as to apply to the sole alternatelyin different 10- cations widthwise of the shoe rapidly repeated pressureimpulses heightwise of the shoe in the course of the leveling operation.In the construction shown, the leveling roll is mounted to rotate freelyon a continuously driven supporting shaft between which and the rollthere is interposed a bushing which is keyed to the shaft and theperiphery of which is inclined relatively to the axis of the shaft tocause the geometrical axis of the roll to travel around the surfaces oftwo cones the apexes of which are located substantially midway betweenthe ends of the roll. Thus, the ends of the roll have equal circularmovements in opposite directions, one end of the roll moving upwardly asthe other end of the roll moves downwardly so that as the roll traversesthe bottom of the shoe the pressure of the roll is transferred rap- 0idly widthwise of the shoe to different portions of the sole to levelit. In effect, the roll is tipped at a rapid rate laterally of the shoein opposite directions alternately about an axis extending lengthwise ofthe shoe and located substantially 55 midway between the ends of theroll. Thus, any

small irregularities that may exist in the sole are each treatedrepeatedly by the roll with the result that such irregularities areproperly eliminated and the desired transverse curvatures are impartedto the difierent portions of the sole.

The invention in its different novel aspects will now be moreparticularly described by reference to the accompanying drawing andthereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, 7

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a machine in whichthe present invention is embodied; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section of aportion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, illustrating particularly themounting of the leveling roll.

Since the invention is illustrated as applied to a leveling machine of awell-known type, only such parts of the machine as it is necessary torefer to for an understanding of the invention are shown and will bedescribed in detail. Features of the general organization of machines ofthis type are disclosed in various prior United States Letters Patentincluding Letters Patent No. 1,667,761, granted on May 1, 1928, on anapplication of E. E. Winkley and H, A. Davenport. It

will be understood that the machine includes an automatically controlledleveling roll 10 and a shoe support or jack which, in the poweroperation of the machine, is moved automatically in directionslengthwise of the shoe to cause the roll to operate progressively alongthe bottom of the shoe. The jack comprises a toe post I 2 and a heelpost M which are pivoted together for relative adjustment for shoes ofdifferent sizes by means of a threaded adjusting rod I6 which moves theheel post toward or from the toe post so that the toe ends of shoes ofdifferent sizes will be presented in substantially the same relation tothe roll Ill. The jack, as a whole, is operatively movable about theaxis of a shaft l8 on which the toe post is mounted, and power operatedmeans (not herein shown) is provided for imparting to the jackoscillatory movements about this axis to carry the shoe rearwar-dly andforwardly under the leveling roll. The toe and heel posts are providedwith means for supporting a shoe and last for the leveling operation.Mounted on the toe post I2 is a toe rest comprising a block 20 havingsecured to it a rubber pad 22 for engaging the toe end of the shoe. Theheel post M at its upper end supports a block 24 carrying a spindle (notshown) arranged to enter the spindle hole in the heel end of the last.The roll I0 is mounted on a holder 26 which is supported on a rollcarrier 28 pivotally mounted as heretofore on the frame of the machinefor swinging movements in a vertical plane to press the roll against theshoe with different degrees of pressure on different portions of theshoe bottom. It will be understood that the holder 26, also asheretofore, is so controlled as to tip the roll I about an axisextending lengthwise of the shoe in time relation to the movements ofthe jack and thus to position the roll for operating in the desiredmanner on different portions of the sole.

For purposes of this invention there is provided means for operating theleveling roll [0 to impart to the sole in different locations widthwiseof the shoe, alternately, pressure impulses heightwise of the shoe inthe course of the leveling operation. In the construction shown theholder 26 carries a shaft 38 upon which the roll I0 is supported, andbetween the shaft 30 and the roll there is provided a bushing 32 securedto the shaft by a key 33 and having its peripheral surface inclined at asmall angle, preferably one degree, to the axis of the shaft. The shaft33 is held against endwise movement in the holder 26 by spaced collars34 pinned to the shaft and engaging the opposite end faces of theholder. In order that the roll it may be free to rotate on the bushing32 by engagement with the bottom of the shoe as the jack is swungrearwardly and forwardly beneath the leveling roll, there are provided,between the roll and the bushing, ball bearings 35 which are heldagainst movement lengthwise of the bushing by means of a spacing member38 and flanges 49 on the bushing. In the illustrated construction theshaft 3f! and the bushing 32 are continuously driven at a high rate ofspeed, preferably about 1700 R. P. l\ I., by means of a motor 42 mountedon the holder 26 and connected by a belt 44 to a pulley 48 fast to oneend of the shaft. It will be understood that by reason of theinclination of the peripheral surface of the bushing 32 the geometricalaxis of the leveling roll is inclined relatively to the axis of theshaft 38, the construction being such that as the shaft and bushing arerotated the geometrical axis of the roll travels around the surfaces oftwo cones the apexes of which are located substantially midway betweenthe ends of the roll. The ends of the roll I thus have equal circularmovements in opposite directions, one end of the roll moving upwardly asthe other end of the roll moves downwardly so that the roll imparts tothe sole in different locations widthwise of the shoe alternatelypressure impulses heightwise of the shoe as the roll traverses thebottom of the shoe. In effect the roll is tipped laterally of the shoeat a rapid rate about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe andlocated substantially midway between the ends of the roll. This causesthe pressure of the roll to be transferred rapidly widthwise of the shoeso that any small irregularities that may exist in the sole are eachtreated repeatedly by the roll with the result that such smallirregularities are properly eliminated and the desired transversecurvatures are imparted to the sole.

The normal period of time for leveling a shoe of average length in amachine of the type herein shown is approximately thirteen seconds,during which time the shoe makes two complete traversing movementsbetween the toe end of the sole and the heel breast line and two comheelbreast line and the ball line. By rotating the shaft 30 and the bushing32 at the rate of speed above indicated substantially eight completeturning movements are imparted to the shaft and bushing to transfer thepressure of the roll laterally of the shoe during each inch oftraversing movement of the shoe, and approximately seventy completeturning movements are imparted to the shaft and bushing during eachtraversing movement of the shoe from the toe end of the sole to the heelbreast line. As previously pointed out, not only is the roll thus causedto act repeatedly on each small irregularity that may exist in the sole,but substantial assurance is afforded that the pressure of the roll willbe transferred to all portions of the sole to level it without anydanger of damage to the sole such as might result if the roll weredriven or caused to drag across the surface of the sole.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottomsof shoes, the combination with a shoe support and a leveling rollrelatively movable in directions lengthwise of a shoe on said support toapply pressure progres sively to the sole of the shoe, said roll beingrotatable in the leveling operation in response to engagement of theshoe therewith, of means for operating said leveling roll to apply tothe sole in different locations widthwise of the shoe alternatelypressure impulses heightwise of the shoe in the course of the relativemovement of the roll and support in each direction.

2. In a machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottomsof shoes, the combination with a shoe support and a leveling rollrelatively movable in directions lengthwise of a shoe on said support toapply pressure progressively to the sole of the shoe, of a power drivenmember arranged to support said roll and rotatable relatively theretofor imparting to said roll rapidly repeated tipping movements laterallyof the shoe to transfer the pressure of the roll back and forthwidthwise of the shoe throughout the operation of the roll on the shoe.

3. A leveling machine, having in combination, a shoe support, a levelingroll for applying rolling pressure progressively to the sole of a shoeon said support in response to movement of the support relatively to theroll in directions lengthwise of the shoe, said roll being mounted fortipping movements laterally of the shoe about an axis extendinglengthwise of the shoe and located substantially midway between the endsof said roll, and power-operated means for imparting to said roll aplurality of rapidly repeated tipping movements about said axis duringthe operation of the roll on both the forepart and shank portions of theshoes.

4. A machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottoms ofshoes having, in combination, a shoe support, a leveling roll forapplying pressure progressively to the sole of a shoe on said support inresponse to movement of said support in directions lengthwise of theshoe, a carrier for pressing the roll against the shoe, a shaftsupporting the roll on said carrier, means for rotating said shaft, anda sleeve interposed between said shaft and the roll, said sleeve beingconnected to said shaft for turning movement with the shaft and havingits periphery inclined plete shorter traversing movements betweentherelatively to the axis of said shaft to cause tipping movements to beimparted to said roll in opposite directions alternately in eachrotation of the shaft to transfer the pressure of the roll laterally ofthe shoe in the course of the leveling operation.

5. A machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottoms ofshoes having, in combination, a shoe support, a leveling roll forapplying pressure progressively to the sole of a shoe on said support inresponse to movement of the support in directions lengthwise of theshoe, a carrier for pressing the roll against the shoe, a shaftsupporting the roll on said carrier, means for rotating said shaft, anda sleeve interposed between said shaft and the roll, said sleeve beingconnected to said shaft for turning movement with the shaft and havingits periphery inclined relatively to the axis of said shaft to cause thegeometrical axis of said roll to travel around the surfaces of two conesthe apexes of which are located substantially midway between the ends ofthe roll.

6. In a machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottomsof shoes, the combination with a shoe support and a leveling rollrelatively movable in directions lengthwise of a shoe on said support toapply pressure progressively to the bottom of the shoe, of mechanism forimparting automatically to said roll rapidly repeated tipping movementsin opposite directions about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoethroughout the operation of the roll on the shoe, said roll beingrotatable in the leveling operation in response to engagement of theshoe therewith.

7. In a machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottomsof shoes, the combination with a shoe support and a leveling rollrelatively movable in directions lengthwise of a shoe on said support toapply pressure progressively to the bottom ofthe shoe, of a shaftextending through the roll to support it With the axis of the shaft inangular relation to the axis of the roll, power-driven means forrotating said shaft, and mechanism for imparting to the roll in thecourse of the leveling operation rapidly repeated tipping movementsabout an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe by the rotation of saidshaft, the roll being rotatable relatively to said shaft in response toengagement of the shoe therewith.

8. In a machine for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottomsof shoes, the combination with a shoe support and a leveling rollrelatively movable in directions lengthwise of a shoe on said support toapply pressure progressively to the bottom of the shoe, of a shaftextending through the roll withthe axis of the shaft in angular relationto the axis of the roll, powerdriven means for rotating said shaft, anda bearing support for the roll connected to the shaft to turn therewithand so formed as to cause the ends of the roll to describe circles ofgreater diameter than said ends in the course of the leveling operation,the roll being rotatable relatively to said shaft in response toengagement of the shoe therewith.

ARTHUR ERNEST JERRAM. CYRIL CATLEY SHEFFIELD.

